An inquest has concluded that a man suffered “catastrophic brain injury” and died due to rare and aggressive complications brought on by the AstraZeneca Covid vaccination.
Zion XXX was sadly pronounced dead at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) on May 19 – just 14 days after receiving his first vaccination. An inquest held at Newcastle Coroner’s Court on Wednesday heard how the 48-year-old fell ill with a migraine on May 13, before his condition severely deteriorated in the following days.
The inquest heard that a paramedic was first called to Zion’s Alston home – on the Northumberland -Cumbria border – on May 15 last year, after reports he was suffering from a migraine. The paramedic who arrived on the scene gave evidence at the inquest and said Zion was “alert and sat up” when she arrived. She said before seeing Zion, she was only aware of the potential complications following the AstraZeneca vaccine after seeing news reports and said she had not received any written guidance or training regarding it.
She said she was aware Zion had had the vaccination and a headache for the past two days, but it had eased when he took painkillers. She performed some tests, including his temperature and blood pressure, with the results in the “normal range.” She then advised Zion to go to the hospital for further checks, but he said he did not want to go for fear of catching Covid, the inquest.
The paramedic said she then told him to take on fluids and painkillers if he wanted to stay home before leaving and advised him to call for an ambulance if his condition worsened. She added that she did not receive official guidance regarding the vaccine and its rare potential risks until around July.
The inquest also heard from Vikki Spit, Zion’s fiancé and partner of 21 years, who said the paramedic was “adamant” that the migraine was nothing to do with the vaccine and that they both “believed her.” She later added: “He was prepared to go to the hospital if the advice was to do so.” The paramedic denied Vikki’s claim.
Hylton Armstrong, asking questions on behalf of Zion’s family, asked the paramedic about the claims made by Vikki that Zion was told his migraine couldn’t be related to the vaccine. He asked: “Vikki said you were very confident when you said it (the migraine) was nothing to do with the vaccine.” The paramedic replied: “That’s not correct.”
A clinical review of the North East Ambulance Service’s handling of the initial paramedic call-out was later carried out and concluded the paramedic did a “thorough assessment” and that there were “no concerns.”
A couple of days later, on May 17, another paramedic was called to Zion’s home, where he appeared “confused and vacant.” Zion then had a small seizure and was immediately taken to Carlisle Hospital in an ambulance. He was later referred to the RVI and blue-lighted to the hospital with the intention of him being operated on immediately.
Damian Holliman, the neurosurgeon who operated on Zion, said that both of his pupils were unresponsive to light when he arrived. Zion had bleeding on the brain by this point, causing it to swell, and he was then operated on. Mr. Holliman said that he was “fully aware” Zion’s blood clot “was the result of his recent vaccination.” The inquest heard Zion had a “limited medical history” and had suffered a “rare and aggressive complication.” When Mr. Holliman was asked whether he believed the AstraZeneca vaccine was the direct result of Zion’s complications, he replied: “I don’t have any other reason to think it was anything else” and that his thrombosis was “related somehow to the vaccination.”
Dr. Christopher Johnson, an Intensive Care Consultant at the RVI, said he “shared the view” that the blood clot Zion suffered was “vaccine-induced” and said at the time, guidance on how to manage the condition was constantly changing due to it being a “developing situation.” Dr. Johnson declared Zion dead on the morning of May 19.
